Crossing The 'Whale"

After arriving back in the Bahamas the first order of business was getting the boat up and running again and provisioning. We had emptied the fridge and turned off its power before leaving for Canada and we now had to hop in the dinghy and head into New Providence for supplies. But first it was off to the Green Turtle Club for one of their wonderful breakfasts. Later in the day we got spruced up for New Years Eve before joining “Missing Link” and “Shelagh” for dinner and celebrations at the Bluff House Restaurant. A disc jockey played 80’s music all evening long while we dined on “surf and turf.” The place was packed and a good time was had by all.

The next morning after a late “lie-in” I walked a deserted beach and found my first perfect shell of the New Year--a lovely white milk conch. After a leisurely lunch with “Shelagh” we dinghied off to town for “Junkanoo”--a caribbana style parade which has been a New Years Day tradition at Green Turtle Cay for as long as anyone can remember. The costumes were spectacular, the music loud and the dancing erotic as the participants gyrated along the sunny street. It was a perfect way to celebrate our last day at Green Turtle Cay. And early the next morning, just after dawn, we pushed off with “Shelagh,” sailing out into the Atlantic, round the “Whale” and on into the Sea of Abaco where we’ve planned to spend the rest of the winter.

This passage can be a treacherous one with strong currents and high punishing waves. And one always “waits for weather” before attempting it. The day we chose--Jan 2nd--was perfect, with light winds and three foot “rollers” and we found ourselves round Whale Cay and safely over on the other side in only 2 hours time. The islands encompassing the northern end of Great Guana Cay were so enticing we decided to stop for the day and explore the area. Shelling was predictably rewarding on Spoil Bank Cay (aka Shell Island) and we also enjoyed a long walk off Bakers Bay where we discovered a beautifully groomed golf course and several resort buildings under construction. The next morning as we were calling to “Missing Link” on the VHF, our old friends from “Kokopelli” heard us and made contact. They were anchored at Fishers Bay, a few miles further along on Great Guana Cay, and invited us over to join them there. We had planned on heading off to Treasure Cay but the opportunity to spend some time with Ian and Sue on Kokopelli was too tempting to pass up. So we altered our plans and headed their way.